Jack's a doubt & Ramsey has scored more than Palace this season.

Morning all.

Tricky one today? I think so.

On paper it’s not but we’ve just had a nasty shock in the week – we got beat for the first time since the opening day of the season and now it’s about how the group recover and perform against a manager-less Crystal Palace away from home.

The positive side to this game is we haven’t lost at home so far this term and despite it being tricky, we need to get back to winning ways, stay positive and be well prepared for what is, a very hard month ahead.

Match Facts:

Head-to-head

  • Crystal Palace have only won one of the eight Premier League meetings (D2, L5). Those two draws however did come in their last two home clashes with the Gunners (1997 and 2004).
  • Arsenal won the last Premier League meeting 5-1 in February 2005. That game saw the Gunners field a 16-man squad with no British players for the first time.
  • Palace have not beaten Arsenal at home, in any competition, since a 1-0 top-flight victory in November 1979.

Crystal Palace

  • Palace and Sunderland have yet to keep a clean sheet in the league this season.
  • The Eagles have lost their last five league matches. The last time they lost six league games in a row was March 2001.
  • Despite their struggles, Palace have scored first in three of their eight league games this season.
  • They have conceded more goals from set pieces this season (nine) than any other side in the Premier League.
  • The Eagles have taken just 40 points from their 44 Premier League London derbies.

Arsenal

  • The Gunners have scored three times as many league goals as Palace this season (18 versus 6).
  • Arsenal have scored in their last 13 Premier League games – the longest current run in the league.
  • Their midweek defeat against Borussia Dortmund ended a run of 12 unbeaten matches in all competitions (W10, D2)
  • The Gunners have yet to keep a clean sheet on their travels in the league this season.
  • Aaron Ramsey has scored more goals for Arsenal (9) in all competitions than the entire Crystal Palace squad combined (7).
  • As well as scoring four Premier League goals, Olivier Giroud has a league-high four assists.

For a change, there are some interesting facts in there.

Us scoring three times as many goals as Palace so far is staggering and the fact that just one of our players, Aaron Ramsey, has already scored more than the entire Palace squad so far this season tells us all just how much todays home side have been struggling.

But that doesn’t mean that we can afford to be complacent, Palace will be out to change their luck and if our boys turn up thinking that’s all they have to do to get the maximum points, a shock could be on the cards.

And I hope Arsene Wenger isn’t tempted to rest/rotate players as doing that could bite him on the backside.

Mathieu Flamini should slot straight back into the starting eleven after suffering concussion last weekend but Jack Wilshere is a doubt and will face a late fitness test to determine whether he will be involved or not. If there is any doubt, I hope he sit’s this one out.

Regardless of whether Jack plays or not, regardless of the result on Tuesday, we really need to spank this Crystal Palace side and I mean spank them.

We are good away from home, we have a great set of travelling fas who will be right behind the team and today the players need to put in a great performance and get back to winning ways.

Three points, plenty of away goals and we’ll all be home happy…

COYG’s…..

0 thoughts on “Jack's a doubt & Ramsey has scored more than Palace this season.

  1. Joywedsjeff says:

    Hi all, on the contrary Rico, today is a good day to rest players like Gibbs, Mert, Ozil bearing in mind our tough run. If we can’t win palace without those three we have no business trying for the title

  2. BrainwashedKev says:

    Morning Rico, no need to rotate as we have the League Cup in midweek.

    Good point Potter re: Chavs vs City. A win for City would be excellent for us, but I can’t see it. A draw though would be more that useful…

    Let’s see if West Brom and Stoke can do us a favour?

  3. rico says:

    Morning Kev, I have a feeling AW might be tempted to put out a stronger side to face Chelsea. Tough one though as it’s Liverpool next weekend isn’t it?

  4. Joaquim Moreira says:

    morning all!
    We must look to ourselves and win the game today. I’m quite sure will be very difficult albeith Palace scored and performance last Monday
    If our principal opponents (5 teams: MU,M City,Chelsea,Totts and Liverpool) drop points, whereever, will be good; for the moment, it will be earlier to say what will be our preferences.

  5. BrainwashedKev says:

    Yeah, I do agree, Wenger isn’t going to hand Mourinho (or at least he shouldn’t) any early psychological advantage…

    Liverpool promises to be every bit as important as Spuds, Napoli and Dortmund at home.
    A real toughie…

  6. AndrewH says:

    Provided we win, I can enjoy the rest of the weekend’s football, especially Chelsea v City. Lose and I’m pisssed off and cant bear to watch. Am I so biased and silly?

  7. tsgh says:

    The last time we faced CP in the EPL we had : Lehmann; Lauren Touré Cygan Cole; Ljungberg Vieira Fàbregas, and Pires today? Pirès; Henry Reyes; and it ended 1-1.

    Who is going to be our Ljunberg

  8. ozgunner says:

    we are on a bit of a no win road today – we hit them for 4/5 and we’ve done no better than Fulham and we hit them for less and we have not played well – What should happen is there be no panics, no dangers and we should deal with them comfortably.

  9. tsgh says:

    How will AW manage his squad against Palace (A),Chelsea (H) (cc),Liverpool (H),Dortmund (A), United (A),Southampton (H),Olym. Marseille (H) and Cardiff (A) all in 35 or 36 days ?

    Will he play the same 16 players and run them into the ground or will he be brave and altenate?

    Why are Monreal, TV, Frimps, Ryo, Serge etc not getting 10 minutes here and there when the team is playing well? That is how Fergie won titles… he did not wait for his best CB pairing to be injured before he gave 3rd or 4th choice a game.

  10. tsgh says:

    Oh yes, good point Oz. I didn’t realise the cup games applied…

    Kev- yes Lipman loan. I thought he may stay and train with the seniors.

  11. HenryB says:

    Hi Rico,

    We seem to be in a replay of previous seasons when coming up against supposedly ‘easy’ opposition only to suffer great disappointment.

    Added to that it often happens that a team with a temporary or new manager play out of their skins to impress the new guy.

    All that said, I still think we will win handsomely!!

  12. tsgh says:

    Arsenal team to play Crystal Palace: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Arteta, Flamini, Ramsey, Ozil, Cazorla, Giroud

    Fabianski, Monreal, Vermaelen, Wilshere, Rosicky, Gnabry, Bendtner

  13. Joaquim Moreira says:

    No, Palace will be very strong today. we must play with our best team of the moment. If we can solve the game quickly, we can make the changes later.

  14. DutchGooner10 says:

    Hiya Lewis

    With all the digital technology available you would think selective muting is the least they can offer on a button. Especially a scouser pundit. LOL

  15. tsgh says:

    Not too bad for a 12:45 kick-off.. based on our history after a CL fixture.

    2nd half Serge and Ma08 goals will do…

    SC19 needs to be a bit more disciplined on the lhs…

  16. bob john says:

    Chris Foy is our biggest threat. Giving them FKs every time they appeal and alowinv them to do what they like.

  17. tsgh says:

    It was not going to be easy… an interim/care taker manager and a London derby too.

    We do not have an impeccable record against CP. Lets hang in there and the result will follow.

    Even with Viera, Pires etc we struggled to beat them with tracksuit bottom wearing Gabor Kiraly.

  18. Joaquim Moreira says:

    very poor.
    Gnaby not starting well.
    we need more speed
    Ramsey was a bad performance again
    Please, shoot!

  19. ozgunner says:

    Painful Television – we look like the idea-less teams of seasons past today – Lucky they have no finishers – we need to start moving the ball much quicker

  20. tsgh says:

    Lets put things in perspective… I was never expecting us or any team for that matter to be 3-0 up against a manager-less club facing AFC with the likes of Owen and Talkshite radio pundits all praying we lose.

    Even AW knew it would be difficult so he fielded his best available team…

    We are not losing… lets hang in there and fingers crossed our quality will be the difference in the end…

  21. DutchGooner10 says:

    2nd half nothing will stop us.

    All business straight out of the gates. Packing punches in the bunches till the fat lady sings. whooohaaaaa.

  22. tsgh says:

    Crystal ball or what?

    What did I say 10 minutes ago.. Ma08 and Serge… ha hah ah…
    Some of us know what we are talking about…

    Dna, be a soldier.. 🙂

  23. rico says:

    Shame you don’t channel all you think you know into football coaching Ts. If you were as good as you think you are, you would have…

  24. tsgh says:

    No ‘digs’ just opinions and questions… anyway!
    If you do not want me here all you have to do is say it….

  25. rico says:

    I’d have put money on Giroud burying that…

    It is Lewis, a bit more pace and urgency in the play… At last.

  26. tsgh says:

    🙂 We all do Dna, I admit I love MA08…

    I love Flamini too… in August who on here was in support of him…

    I just believe in team work; and like to treat people how I expect to be treated…

    MA08 has never been liked because he was never a ‘cesc’ but record/stats show that with him starting a game we win more even compared to Cesc…

  27. DutchGooner10 says:

    Ginge

    This is called a forum/blog to share opinions even the ones that rub against favorable conventions. Please be the gent I know you are.

  28. rico says:

    That’s just my point Ts, who dislikes Arteta on here??

    Some may believe he has had his better days, but that is their opinion, doesn’t mean Arteta is disliked. He’s an Arsenal player, I strongly suspect everyone only ever wants him to do well, just like they do all of the squad…

  29. tsgh says:

    Dg, I was not insulting anyone… I know and believed Dna knew I was joking…

    And the crystall ball joke, well if someone thinks its a dig then its a shame because, when someone goes to the bookies and bets he is not deemed a soothsayer or prophet… its all done in good humour…

    And be a soldier… just means just keep going/fighting on; it was never a dig
    Anyway we are winning that is all that matters…

    I actually coach a kids team and coach a girls under 14 team part team in Surrey… a girls private secondary school.
    its all a bit of fun and a hobby.

    Was that a red card…?Chris?

  30. DutchGooner10 says:

    Red card??

    No, I feel it wasn’t more than a clumsy tangle of flapping limbs in a body check. Besides there were miles to go on goal.

  31. rico says:

    They are awful Lewis, mind you, Macca thought we should have had a penalty before we got the one we did…

    Ches is in great form

  32. Lewis says:

    It is a good job chamakh is shit otherwise we’d be in trouble today. We play Like this over the next month we won’t get many points.

  33. tsgh says:

    Lewis, we never start well when we kick off at 12:45… we only start playing after 14:00…

    That was why I was positive after half time going in 0-0

    The same yanited have a poor record playing on Monday night but win all their matches at 12:45 on saturdays…

    I know I am sad… 😛

  34. Lewis says:

    Agreed Rico. They say great keepers win you points, he has definitely done that today. Is he on his way to being great? I hope so.

  35. tsgh says:

    Excellent performance… imho of course.

    If fergie had done this, the media cronies will say he is a top manager.

    Have some faith guys and ladies…. we could have a good year.

    I am glad this was an away game though 😉

  36. DutchGooner10 says:

    Ginge

    Agree. Early starters always seem to dim our concentration levels.

    Good game from second half anyway. Kev will be stoked to have traveled.

  37. George says:

    well well well…3 hard earned points..

    red card was a tad hard. we had some very good performers 2nd half.

    mom for me was sagna. . actually all defence was very good and showed good concentration. Nice to see Ramsey and Ozil raise their game .

  38. DutchGooner10 says:

    Rico

    Chesser MoTM is a bottle of bubbles well deserved. Kept the advantage on the scoreboard by sheer class.

  39. tsgh says:

    Hi George, hope you are well?

    George, re red card, MF did the same against Swansea at 0-0 and he only got a yellow card… most said he took it for the team… in my opinion MA08 did well but, I am known to be biased so… lol

  40. rico says:

    Same here Gdna, especially away from home against a club who have no manager, they can be a pain.

    I thought so too George, but we all know Foy won’t waste an opportunity…

    Cg, his two saves at 1-0 were simply stunning, hats off to him, very well deserved award.

  41. rico says:

    Points win prizes Gdna, 80% possession, 99% tackles made etc etc but no goals don’t.

    I care only about winning too, that’s the name of the game in sport..

    I’d rather we played attractive football too but on days like today, I don’t give a toot…

  42. Gunnerdna says:

    Afc is leading the points table Rico, I doubt they will overturn the decision, knowing their love for arsenal. Lets go Stoke.

  43. rico says:

    I hope it is Ts, but they seldom are when it comes to our players. Thank goodness he didn’t hang around and try to play on..

  44. George says:

    Hi Ginge, well, having a tough time …been rough since april, but hey ho. we are playing some resilient stuff. At this rate TV05 can’t get a sniff of any playing time!

    Rico, Chris Foy hates us..

    funny how Chamakh , as Lewis rightly mentioned earlier looks like a footballer all of a sudden. ?!?!?wtf?

    I doubt we’ll see Flamster feature against Chelski.

    We will probably see the likes of Eisfeld and Olsson on tuesday

    Anyone know what happed to Nico Yennaris? He seems to have fallen off the radar

  45. Gunnerdna says:

    Rico, attractive football is secondary for me this season, if we got to defend 1 nil for 15-20 mins to win a game, I’m fine with that. The only stats that matters in may is who finish 1st.

  46. rico says:

    I liked Owen’s comment about Chamakh George – he said he is good in the air, but not sure what he’s like with his feet… 😉

  47. rico says:

    I’m agreeing Gdna, maximum points is all the table tells in May… 😉

    Pundits still writing us off, good, I like it that way..

  48. George says:

    rico, i choked on my coffee when owen said that. …it was good kos put him in his place after the sending off

    Him and BFG had shisha well under wraps;)

  49. tsgh says:

    George, Nico just got back from injury… with Arteta and possibly MF out mid week we may see Frimpong and Nico/Hayden pairing against the chavs.

    Or possibly the first ever Frimpong and JW pairing competitive since the FA youth cup.

  50. ozgunner says:

    glad thats over – forget Chelsea, rest as many as possible, Liverpool is the next one and we’ll need to step up. Wonder why so many look so knackered already?

  51. tsgh says:

    competitively*

    I agree Oz. The seniors always let us down in the Coc anyways… give the kids a chance and you never know…

  52. BrainwashedKev says:

    On the train to Clapham Junction.

    A hard won 3 points.

    Scrappy, but last season, in a game like this, we would have dropped points.

    Not a great performance, but with 10 men and a suspect referee it was a great result.

    Szczesny made some crucial saves.
    Monreal made a difference when he came on.
    Very impressed with Ozil, he ain’t no showponey…
    BFG is my man. Mr Dependable.

  53. BrainwashedKev says:

    Chavs play tomorrow against Man City, and then Tuesday against Arsenal…
    That’ll be some interesting rotation for the Supercilious One…

  54. BrainwashedKev says:

    Where’s Adam today???

    Thought Gnabry had a much better 2nd half, well until he was substituted…

    To me, Arteta’s foul was a yellow card.
    Well it looked that way from where I was standing..

  55. rico says:

    No idea Kev, Adam hasn’t been on HH for a few days…

    Chamakh shoved Arteta first – surprised we didn’t get the free kick, mind you, that was after seeing the replay..

  56. AndrewH says:

    Back from the pub, hard work watching after the S/O especially with Palace fans shouting at the bar, but we came good. Then I find, there was a feed on here!!! Take it, ignore the Flash HD needed prompts?

    Come on Stoke. Hate you, but just today, nick a draw.

  57. rico says:

    Off now for the day, need to write the game up and enjoy my Saturday night…

    Catch you all tomorrow…..

    Night all.

  58. DutchGooner10 says:

    Hiya AndrewH

    We always provide live stream feeds as complementary service from Highbury House.

    Live stream links will be posted at least half an hour before kick off, so you can warm up to the match and catch some preview stats.

    Cheers.

  59. tsgh says:

    Well well, Flamini ruled out for 3 weeks. 🙁

    I guess it is going to be a midfield 3 of Wilshere, Frimps and La Mozart against chelsea.

  60. DutchGooner10 says:

    Ginge

    I wonder if the 3 weeks mentioned is just precautionary judgement from the medical team.

    If they press release 1,5 week you can imagine journos ‘vulturing’ above the subject every opportunity.

    Missed La Liga El Classico, heared Sanchez hammered a screamer and gel boy was denied a stonewall penalty.

  61. DutchGooner10 says:

    You mean educated guess Ginge. LOL

    Off for 2night. C U 2morrow mate.

    BTW didn’t mean to accuse you of insults or snide remarks. Just felt it was an over the top reaction asking Rico to expel you from HH if she didn’t want you around. .From a valued member such as yourself I expect more composure in context. That’s all. Cheers.

  62. tsgh says:

    That may be why perez does not sell to AFC as he wants AW there…
    Ancelotti copied Mourinho & put Pepe in midfield ahead of £32m midfielder Illarremendi.

  63. Micko says:

    Another great weekend for AFC, top of the league, what more can we ask for ?

    tsgh, pull yourself together or I might have to start calling you Twisted Sister.

    rico, you have the patience of a Saint.

  64. Scott from Ozil says:

    Morning all.
    I am back home after a weekend of Arsenal!!
    We had the Arsenal Australia conference over the weekend, with people flying in from interstate to take part.
    It was brilliant having one day and two nights…..and i mean LOOOOONG nights….where the topic of every conversation was Arsenal.
    I am trashed, absolutely buggered, but had a great time.

  65. Scott from Ozil says:

    Solid result last night.
    Poor first half, but as we keep saying, playing poorly and winning is the sign of a top side.

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